Yggdrasill, the World Tree

From ice and fire the accounts move to a tree. Both Eddas describe Yggdrasill as an immense ash; in Blackwell’s translation its branches spread over the whole world and reach above heaven. Three roots hold it up, though Grímnismál and Gylfaginning say different things about what lies by each. In Snorri one root stands among the frost giants “where was formerly Ginnungagap”, so the empty gap of the first step now lies under the tree.